DEEE-STALKINO.l 15 V 1' \\]\A), AV O ( ) I), A N 1) WAT Eli. 



[DE£U-BTJLLKliSG. 



not seen the ellects, or paid auy attoution to 

 the matter. But 1 am atVaiJ 1 aiu getting out 

 of my way. 1 had a good opportunity, ouo 

 season, of seeing the eizo, and trying the 

 weiglit of rabhits, as I havo becu iu at tho 

 di'ath of veiy tew short of 500; and I must 

 say, I never have killed any above 5 lbs., most 

 of them being from 3i Iba. to 4 lbs. ; iu fact, I 

 uo not remember of more than ouo being above 

 •i] lbs., and very few of the latter weight ; but 1 

 did not weigh them all — only the very largo 

 ones attracted my curiosity ; aud it is rather 

 singular that the largest rabbits were always 

 killed by means of the ferret, aud, iu many 

 cases, lay in tlic hole till killed by this blood- 

 thirsty enemy. Jiut I once witnessed a rabbit 

 that was shot on a neighbouring estate, 

 which weighed over G lbs. This was assuredly 

 the common grey rabbit, in all but the cars 

 and head, which were somewhat larger than 

 the common, being nearly as large as those 

 of a hare; but, at the same time, the head 

 seemed to be quite in proportion to the 

 body. The ears, however, were something 

 the shape of the long-eared, domestic rabbit, 

 but differed from it in being erect, in place 

 of hanging down. The flesh of it was dressed, 

 aud was found to be that of the rabbit, thereby 

 settling the notion that it was a cross with 

 tlie hare. It has been stuffed as a curiosity ; 

 was shot in a high country ; was quite wild ; 

 and is the greatest weight I have known a 

 wild rabbit to attain." 



"With respect to the shooting of these animals 

 in such localities, every degree of caution is 

 requisite. It is indispensable that they should 

 be approached in a straight line, even to obtain 

 a glance at them ; and this must be done by 

 stealth. If you have a dog, he must be kept 



close to your heels. Stoop down, and prevent 

 the animal from seeing you, if you cau. Tliis, 

 and such like stratagems, are tiio only nioaua 

 to get u shot at this kind of rabbit. 



" IVIoro (lifTicult than hares to liit, 

 They fri(|uently appear to flit 

 Like thudows |)ust one — good, indieJ, 

 Is then tiic aim that bids them bleed. 

 If you would see them nicely stoppid 

 In the thick wood, you must adojit 

 Snap-shooting, for you'll seldom there 

 Have time to take them full and fair ; 

 E'en lost to view, advance your gun 

 Quickly to where you t/unk they run : 

 Regard not grass, nor bru.sh, nor briar; 

 Through each and all that instant fire. 

 Bang ! it's well — you saw him not. 

 And yet you've killed him on the spot." 



In taking our leave of tho rabbit, we may 

 briefly allude to Iiare shooting, though this 

 animal is more an object of the chase than oi 

 the gun. Yet, tliroughout the shooting season, 

 there are a vast number of hares shot. Few 

 sportsmen allow her to make her escape, when 

 a chance offers. Some fowlers are remarkably 

 clever at finding- and shooting hares ; and, with 

 some, it becomes quite a passion, to the entire 

 exclusion of every other kind of sporting. We 

 have often seen au individual in a stubble-field, 

 on a fine evening, crawling upon his knees, and 

 sometimes on bis side or his belly ; and, with- 

 out any dog, gaining upon poor puss so slowly 

 but surely, that her death became certain 

 This shooter would never, however, fire at a 

 hare in her seat in a hedge, or cover of any 

 kind. She is not difficult to kill, and her mode 

 of running is more favourable to the sportsman 

 than the bouncing and stottiug movements o; 

 the rabbit, which are apt to mar the youa? 

 sportsman's aim. 



CPIAFTER XVIL 



DEEn-STALKING. 



DeePl-stalkikg 13 comparatively a modern 

 sport, and is confined principally to the higher 

 classes of English sportsmen. The deer, it is J human family 



well known, has been an interesting object o( 

 the chase from the earliest records of the 

 Stag-hunting is treated of by 

 G07 



